North Texas holding graduation ceremony in New Orleans for those at bowl game

Any North Texas student graduating this December won’t miss graduation in New Orleans. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Any North Texas student set to graduate this December who will be at the team’s bowl game on Dec. 16 will get a remote graduation ceremony.

The school’s fall semester graduation ceremony conflicts with the New Orleans Bowl, where North Texas plays Troy. So to help football players, cheerleaders and others who have to be at the bowl game and any graduating student that wants to go to the game as a fan, the school will have a graduation ceremony at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel on Friday, Dec. 15.

A plan was put in place to hold a commencement ceremony in New Orleans for football players, band members, the cheer squad and any graduating student who wants to attend the game.

“UNT is proud of our Mean Green football team and the great season that is allowing us to participate in the bowl game in New Orleans next week,” [North Texas President Neal] Smatresk said. “We also want to make sure our students have the commencement experience they deserve after years of hard work and perseverance. We will continue our commencement traditions on campus as planned. And for those who are participating in the bowl game or those students who choose to travel to New Orleans, a change in location isn’t going to keep us from celebrating our graduates and sending them out into the world in style!”

North Texas is also offering a heck of a deal for students who want to go to the game. For $60, a student gets a bus ticket, a ticket to the game and a night in a hotel in New Orleans.

The Mean Green, 9-4, lost to Florida Atlantic in the Conference USA Championship Game on Saturday. Troy, 10-2, is a co-champion of the Sun Belt Conference.